Dorset drugs ring – five sentenced

Five men have been sentenced for their part in a drugs ring operating across Dorset.

On Friday 6 June 2014 at Bournemouth Crown Court, Scott Woods, 25, Guy Anning, 22, Dean McLeod, 33, Stewart Davidson, 29 and Ashley Smith, 29, have been sentenced to an excess of 35 years in jail.

They were handed down the following sentences:|

Woods, from West Lulworth – 12 years’ imprisonment

Anning, from Corfe Mullen – 7 years’ imprisonment

McLeod, from Liverpool – 6 years’ imprisonment

Davidson, from Weymouth – 6 years’ imprisonment

Smith, from Yeovil – 4 years 9 months’ imprisonment

James Cosser, 26, from Bournemouth has also been convicted of drugs offences. His case has been adjourned until 24 July for sentencing along with another matter. He has been remanded in custody.

Woods was convicted at Bournemouth Crown Court on Monday 12May 2014 of two counts of conspiring to supply a class A drug and Cosser, Anning, McLeod and Davidson of one count, Smith pleaded guilty prior to the trial.

The six men were arrested in October and November 2012 following an extensive investigation led by Dorset Police’s Major Crime Team. The investigation unveiled a comprehensive conspiracy to supply a class A drugs across the county of Dorset.

A further man – Christian Hill, 29, of Wimborne was sentenced last Monday (2 June) for cultivation of cannabis and received a sentence of 8 months’ imprisonment suspended for one year.

The arrests were carried out under Operation Ace which was set up in September 2012 to investigate a group suspected of supplying controlled drugs and this brought about the conviction of these men.

The Senior Investigating Officer Craig Travers, of Dorset Police said: “This conviction follows a detailed covert operation and I would like to commend all the officers that worked on this case – in particular Detective Constables Neil Robbins and Jamie Halford. I also commend the investigation team and intelligence teams whose professionalism and hard work led to this successful outcome.“Drug dealing, drug use and associated crimes cause nothing but devastation and misery.

Dorset Police do not tolerate drug dealers in Dorset and the conviction and sentence of these individuals displays Dorset Police’s commitment to tackling organised crime groups. It sends out a clear message that we will arrest anyone found to be dealing drugs and will bring them to justice.

“These individuals chose to live a certain lifestyle and turned to criminality to fund it rather than earning money legitimately.They were motivated by a cynical greed and wanted to make money by supplying class A drugs.They showed no regard to the ill effects caused by supplying these drugs to the communities of Dorset.”

Scott Woods and Dean McLeod absconded during the trial and were sentenced in their absence. Dorset Police are currently seeking their whereabouts.